Like most players, he worked on his game. Like a handful, he went back to school.

Like an even smaller contingent, he represented his team in labour talks at its union representative.

Bayless, about to enter his fourth season and coming off a 60 game – 14-start – stint with the Raptors where he averaged career bests in most categories, enjoyed his endeavours.

“Was I bored? No I wasn’t, I do other things besides basketball,” a smiling Bayless said.

An honour-roll high school student, Bayless attended the University of Arizona for only a single year before entering the NBA draft.

He took a couple of economic classes at a community college in Phoenix this summer and also sat in on union meetings.

“I think it’s really interesting to see both sides just kind of learn because obviously there’s life after basketball and for me personally, that’s kind of a side of things I’d like to go into afterwards,” Bayless said of his time spent in boardrooms. “It was definitely interesting and I’m glad I was a part of it.”

As for his on-court role? Bayless said: “Whatever the team needs me to do I’m willing to do it and I’ll be happy with it.”

Bayless said he played the same style of defence Dwane Casey is implementing both at Arizona and during his first two NBA seasons in Portland.